


Into the West

by Lady_Juno



Series: At Death's Door [3]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: BoFA, Death, F/M, Grief/Mourning, No HEA, Not A Fix-It, Sad, Trauma, kiliel - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-18
Updated: 2014-09-18
Packaged: 2018-02-17 21:52:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2324441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Juno/pseuds/Lady_Juno
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He saw her, and at first, didn't understand why she wasn't getting up, why she wasn't coming to him. He needed her help. Then he saw the arrows, shafts splintered and broken where they protruded from her torn armor. That was when the world started to fall apart.</p>
<p>Short, sad one-shot that demanded to be written.<br/>Inspired by the song of the same name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Into the West

She could feel him. See him. Sort of. Arms around her. Hands on her neck. Other than the overwhelming, sickening pain in her stomach, all was right with the world. He was here.

"It's alright. Just... just relax. You'll just be asleep for a while and then... everything will be alright."

Asleep? What was he talking about? She wasn't going to sleep. She could feel him. He was warm. His arms were strong. His blood... his blood? He was bleeding on her. She wanted to tell him it would stain her armor, but what good would that do? He'd probably start doodling swirls and stars on her pauldrons.

"This isn't the end, you hear me? I won't let it be."

End of the journey. End of the battle. The sounds of clashing swords and death-screams were fading, though that might just as well have been her perception. She certainly hoped the fighting was over. Or close to it.

Regardless, it was very much the end of _her_ journey. They had come to the precipice; the final, terrifying step. Death had not been meant for her, and yet here it was. She could tell, because she was beginning to see things that weren't really there. That couldn't be there. Her mother. Her father. Her older sister. Legolas. No. Her family was dead. And Legolas had declared her a traitor. He wouldn't be here now.

"Don't cry. Please, don't cry. I'm here. It's going to be alright. I won't let go. I swear."

What was he talking about? She wasn't... or was she? Now she could feel warm, wet tracks on her face, fat droplets rolling over her skin. When had everything else become so cold? She opened her mouth to tell him that he needn't be so melodramatic about it all, but all her damaged throat could manage was the faintest of whispers. It was snatched from her lips by the brisk wind. Her family was becoming clearer now, looking on with mourning, but also with joy. They mourned for her suffering, but rejoiced at being reunited with her at last. They were both very close, and very far away, straining her already overworked focus.

She shifted her gaze back to her beloved, and found even his face was beginning to fade. She could feel his tears, now, mingling with her own as he rocked her back and forth in his lap.

"Don't leave me." His words seemed no more than a whisper, but she knew he wasn't really the sort to be so contained. He would be shouting at her.

_Forgive me, my love. I cannot stay._

* * *

Kili felt the difference. There was no sudden change, no paling of the face or darkening of the eyes or shuddering of the limbs. But he _felt_ it. This wasn't the way it was supposed to work. He held her tighter, pulled her closer, rocked her faster.

"It's not alright," he confessed, his throat and chest tight with grief. "Please. Don't do this to me, Tauri." The wind was picking up, whipping over the battlefield, bringing false life to the dead that surrounded them on all sides. The strands of vibrant red that had escaped her helmet stirred in the stiff breeze, and Kili felt his heart break all over again.

"I never told you." He searched the unseeing green eyes for understanding. For forgiveness. "I never said that I loved you."

"She knew."

If Kili had been holding a weapon, it would have been buried in Legolas' body faster than either could blink. As it was, the dwarf held the dead she-elf tighter, as though suspecting the Woodland Prince might want to take her away from him.

"I was wrong, my friend. Forgive me." At first, Kili thought the elf was speaking to Tauriel, but when he realized that the blue eyes were fixed upon his own face, the young dwarf felt little but confusion.

"Forgive... you?"

"Yes. I treated you wrongly. And the lady whom you loved, also." The blond bowed his head slightly. "Forgive me."

Kili didn't know what to say. This sort of a gesture, from an elf, no less, was the last thing he'd expected. But the thought of Tauriel and Legolas, how close they'd been, overwhelmed him with grief.

"As you wish," he said tiredly. "Now leave me be."

"Your uncle calls for you."

"I don't want to see him."

"I fear if you delay... it may be too late."

Shock and grief rippled through Kili's body a second time. This wasn't right. This wasn't at all how the Quest was supposed to end.

 


End file.
